Key-chain reel



Patented Aug. 2i, i3.

THOMAS J'. MORRISON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

KEY-CHAIN REEL.

Application led November 16, 1921. Serial No. 515,590.

To al whom. it may concern.:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. Monmson',

u citizen of the United States, and a resif dent of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented new and useful I.mproveniente in Key-Chain Reels. of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in a reel Aprimarily designed for use as a key chain reel.

The general object of the invention is the provision of a compact reel provided .with extensible means for holding keys or the like, that operates to retain the extensible key holding means in its extended position, and that may be operated to dra-W the extensible key holding means into the casing.

This object is accomplished by mounting two gears, having drums integral therewith, in a casing and spaced from one another, and Winding on one drum a key holdin means, and on the other drum a spira spring, and interposing between the gears a pinion for conveying the motion of one gear to the other so that upon the drawing out of the key-holding means the spiral spring is energized. Means for locking the pinion against` rotation by the spring-controlled gear is provided, and means for releasing the pinion is supplied in conjunction with the locking means.

This and other objects of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. i

Figure 1 is a View of the key chain reel mounted on a. belt and the key holding means extended;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section along the line 2 2, Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross `section along the line 3-3, Figure 2;

45 Figure 4 is a cross section along the line 4 4, Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the locking link; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the end of the spring, which co-operates with the locking link to hold it in position.

Referring to the above-mentioned drawings, a key chain reel provided with an extensible key holding means is shown. rihis key holding means consists of a casing `10 provided with guides 11 for slidably mounting it ona belt 12. Located in the casing 10 is a pair of plates 13 in which two drums 14 and 15 are Journaled. Integral with the drums 14 and 15, respectively, are gears 16 and 1 7. These gears are spaced apart and have interposed between them a pinion 18. This pinion meshes with both gears and serves to convey the motion from one to the other. found about the drum 14 is a key chain 19, one end of which extends through an opening 20 in the lower wall of the casing, the other end being iixed to the drum at 22. A keyV ring 23 on which is mounted a plurality of keys 24 is attached to the end of the key chain extending through the opening 20 in the casing.

A spiral `spring 25 is mounted on the drum 15, the inner end of the spring being `tixeol to the drum 15 at 26 the outer end of the spring being attached to the shank 27 of the locking link 28 provided in conjunction with the pinion 18. The outer end of the spring 25 -is provided with openings 29 and 30 which fit over the shank 27 and is retained in position by means of a pin 31 which extends through an opening 32 in the shank. The. locking link 28 is provided with a pro- Jection which engages with the teeth of the. pinion 18 when the link is held in its active position by means of the spring 25.

yThe pin 31 prevents the shank 27 .from sliding outward through the opening 34 in the upper wall of the casing 10.

The operation of this device is as follows:

lVhen it is desired to use a key, the key chain 19 is drawn outward through the opening 20 in the casing. This rotates the gear 16 in a clockwise direction, the pinion 18 in a counter-clockwise direction, and the gear 17 in a clockwise direction. The clockwise rotation of the gear 17 winds the spring 25 and thus energizes it. The locking link 28 engages with the teeth of the pinion 18 and locks it against rotation by the springcontrolled gear 17 thus retaining the key chain 19 extended. Upon the release of the pinion 18 by the pushing down of the shank 27 the spring-controlled gear rotates the pinion 18 in a clockwise direction, causing` the gear 16 to be rotated counter-clockwise, winding ap the key chain 19 on the drum 14. The outer end of the spring 25 serves to normally hold the locking link 28 in engagement with the pinion .18 to lock it against rotation by the spring-controlled gear 17.

I would state in conclusion that while the illustrated example constituting a practical emb'odiment of my invention I do not limit myself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated since manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departincr from the spirit of the invention as define in the appended claims.

Claims.

1. A key chain reel of the character described, comprising a casing, a pair of gear wheels each mounted on a drum rotatably mounted in the casing, said 'gears being spaced apart and disposed edgewise to each other, a pinion rotatably mounted in the casing between said gears meshing with both of them Jfor transmittingr motion from one to the other, and means for locking the pinion against rotation.

2. A key chain reel of the character described, comprising a casing, a pair of gear wheels rotatably mounted in the casing spaced from one another and disposed edgewise to each other., a pinion rotatably mounted in the casing and located between the gears meshing with both of them, a key chain associated with one gear for operating it, a spiral spring connected to the other gear for operating it, and means associated with the pinion and held in position by one end of the spiral spring for locking the pinion against rotation by the spring operated ear.

g 3. A key chain reel of the character described, comprising a casing, means in coniunction with the casing for slidably mounting it on a belt, a pair of gear wheels each ixed to a drum rotatably mounted in the casing, said gears being disposed edgewise to each other and spaced from one another, a pinion rotatably mounted in the casing and located between said gears for transmltting motion from one to the other, a key chain wound on one drum, a spiral spring mounted on the other drum so that it may be energized by the unwinding of the key chain, and means associated with the pinion and held in engagement with the pinion by the free end ot the spiral spring for locking it against rotation by the spring controlled gear.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a key chain reel of the character described, comprising a casing, a pair of gear wheels each fixed to a drum rotatably mounted in the casing, said gears being spaced from one another and disposed edgewise to each other, a pinion rotatably mounted in the casing located between the gears meshing with both of them, a key chain wound on one drum and extending through an opening in the casing, a spiral spring mounted on the other drum having one end fixed to the drum, and locking means provided with a shank extending through the casing and normally held in engagement with the pinion by the outer end of the spiral spring to lock it a ainst rotation, said locking means bein capa le of release by the pressing inwar of said shank.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a key chain reel of the class described comprising a casing, a pair of gear wheels each having a drum integral therewith rotatably mounted in the casing and spaced from one another, a pinion interposed between the gears for transmitting thc motion of one to the other, a key chain wound on one drum and having an end extending through an opening in the casing, a spiral spring mounted on the other drum so as to be energized by the unwindin of the key chain, a locking link associated with the pinion and normally held in enga-gement therewith by the outer end of the spiral spring to lock the pinion against rotation by the gear controlled by the spiral s ring, and means in conjunction with the ocklng link and extending through the casing for releasing the pinion.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a reel of the class described comprising a casing, means Jfor slidably mounting the casing on a belt, a frame comprising two spaced plates and means for holding them together mounted in the casing, two drums rotatabl mounted in the spaced plates, a gear wiieel and key chain carried by one drum, a gear wheel and spiral spring carried by the other drum, said gear wheels being spaced apart, a pinion rotatably mounted in `the plates interposed between the gear wheels to convey the motion of one to the other, a link in conjunction with the pinion to lock it against operation by the spring-controlled gear, and a shank integral with the locking link and extending through the casing for releasing the pinion.

7. ln a key chain reel of the character described including a casing, a gear rotatably mounted in said casing and operated by a key chain, a second gear rotatably mounted in the casing and operated by a spiral spring, and a pinion rotatably mounted in the casing and located between said gears for transmitting motion lfrom one gear to the other, a locking device comprising a link slidably mounted in said cas` ing, means mounted on said link for engaging said pinion to lock it against operation by the Spring-controlled gear, said link being normally held in engagement with the pinion by the spring mounted on said gear, and means for operating the link to release the pinion.-

THOMAS J. MORRISON, 

